The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, having a lock case, and also a locking mechanism which is supported in the lock case and consists substantially of a rotary latch and a pawl, and having an additional reinforcing element.
Motor vehicle door locks of the aforementioned design are generally arranged and fastened on or in the interior of an assigned motor vehicle door. Said motor vehicle door lock cooperates with a striker, which in most cases is located on a B-pillar of an assigned motor vehicle body. These elements together make up a motor vehicle door lock.
The lock case is generally made of metal, because the elements of the locking mechanism supported in the lock case, specifically the rotary latch and the pawl, are exposed to substantial forces, particularly during a crash, and must be capable of withstanding these forces. During a crash, it is important for the doors that are equipped with the motor vehicle door lock, in particular the side doors, to remain closed, at least during the collision. This is the only way to prevent persons, for example, from being thrown from the motor vehicle. Moreover, only if the motor vehicle doors remain closed can it be ensured that safety devices arranged therein, such as side air bags, lateral impact protection, etc., can effectively protect the passengers of the vehicle.
In the described crash situations, it is therefore imperative for the locking mechanism in conjunction with the lock case to be capable of withstanding the deceleration forces that occur in such cases, and particularly of preventing the motor vehicle door to which they are assigned from opening unintentionally. To this end, the generic prior art according to DE 10 2009 029 025 A1 proposes a motor vehicle door lock of the design described in the introductory part, in which the locking mechanism additionally comprises at least one means for transferring force to the lock case. Said means is a bolt which is fastened on the lock case and/or is arranged such that in the main latching position it extends from a lateral wall of the lock case up to the rotary latch. The bolt is arranged adjacent to the receiving slot in the lock case, so that under the described impact-type stresses, the rotary latch is pressed against the bolt. The bolt then absorbs the corresponding force, and passes it on to the lock case.